Tuesday, April 5, 2016

It's the Little Things: Paint the Town, Marble Falls, TX

Our journey as PleinAirStreaming takes us to new places, and that's one of the reasons we love it. Everywhere we go, we have new experiences - a changing landscape, local foods, interesting people and mostly the small details that all come together to differentiate each part of the country.

That same desire for new discoveries is a big part of my painting. If you follow us, you know that I paint a lot of flowers. It's not a fallback subject, it's a constant challenge for growth. Every flower is different. Every arrangement is different. Flowers force me to paint quickly and loosely - otherwise, they look heavy and overworked.

The floral above was created at the Paint the Town, Marble Falls, Texas Plein Air Competition. Kimberly and I drove down Main Street and found a wide variety of roses planted along the street. The care that was given to these flowers along Main said a lot about the community. I don't feel that I have to paint big landmarks to capture the beauty of a location - sometimes it's all in the details.

The details are also what makes each floral unique, although they're easy to get lost in - the shapes of the flowers, the flow of the leaves. When it's finished the surprise is revealed when this collection of thick strokes of color come together to make something new.